


Expectations

by ribbonelle



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Animated (2007)
Genre: Autoboot Camp, Gen, Late Night Conversations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-22
Updated: 2014-07-22
Packaged: 2018-02-09 22:15:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1999962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ribbonelle/pseuds/ribbonelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wasp couldn't sleep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Expectations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MercuryMapleKey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercuryMapleKey/gifts).



> just think that it's been about a week after they started training at the autoboot camp.
> 
> this one is for mercurymaplekey, who gave me feelings about these two. sorry if they're out of character, but i might have needed young awkward trainees having conversations in the middle of the night :'>
> 
> i ALWAYS have difficulties with titles so my god forgive me

The camp was dead quiet during the nights. Wasp had never really noticed it before, but there was always noise at all times; Sentinel Minor barking out orders, Bumblebee and Bulkhead guffawing away like the idiots they are, amiable chatter with Longarm. But at night, there was literally nothing to be heard. It was a little unnerving, but Wasp wasn’t going to admit that aloud.

Today was different. Usually, Wasp would slip right into recharge the very moment his head hit the berth, out of exhaustion from their daily training. There had been training today, too, and Wasp could still feel the ache in his transformation joints and the burn of his overworked stingers, but he couldn’t seem to fall asleep no matter how much he tried. It didn’t matter. His body would give in, eventually.

Wasp shifted on berth, staring up at the ceiling. They had bunk berths in camp, and he had taken the berth above Ironhide’s when they first started. He wondered if Ironhide had any trouble sleeping the way he did today. He was curious, but it wouldn’t do if he got caught leaning over the edge of his berth to take a look. Ironhide would probably think him a creep. Oh no, that wouldn’t do at all.

He made a frustrated noise at his own thoughts, and draped an arm over his optics, meaning to force himself into recharge. Below him, something rustled.

“Wasp? You asleep yet?”

So Ironhide wasn’t asleep. Wasp couldn’t really help the pleased tone in his voice, “No. Can’t seem to sleep today. You?”

Ironhide chuckled, “Me too. Weird, huh?”

Wasp made a sound of acknowledgement, staring again into the darkness. The awareness that Ironhide was awake now should have probably made things awkward, but Wasp felt at ease, instead. It was one of those nights. Where his processor would just mull about his current situation and the choices that he had made.

“You tryin’ to recharge there, Wasp?”

“No, not really. I’m just thinking about things.”

There was a shuffle underneath him, probably Ironhide getting comfortable, “Credit for your thoughts?”

The words were out of him before he even thought about it, “Just about how far I’ve come, I guess. I know that I’ve always wanted to be in the Elite Guard, but it’s just registered that I’m actually here. Almost quarter of the way there.”

Ironhide chuckled, (he always chuckled, it was one of the first things Wasp noticed about him), “Not bad, huh?”

“Not bad at all. I finally have my chance to prove myself. I knew I definitely was going to anyway, but the fact that it’s really happening is just…great.” His spark felt light with his admission, not entirely present for this almost one-sided conversation, “Maybe soon enough, mechs won’t think I’m weak just because I’m a mini anymore.”

The words hovered in the air for a while, before Wasp offlined his optics and gritted his teeth. _Stupid._ Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why would he say that? He had been trying to make a good impression on Ironhide for a _week_ , and he had to just ruin it in some thoughtless confession in the middle of the night! He should have known to not open his big mouth during recharge hours. Slag, Ironhide was going to think of him as a whiny, pathetic mini now and he fragging ruined it…

Instead of a dismissive comment or hesitant acknowledgement, there was surprise in Ironhide’s tone, “They do? I don’t know about that, Wasp, you’re pretty fraggin’ amazing. Even Sarge was impressed by you. Not to mention the rest of us. You don’t come off as weak at all.”

Wasp onlined his optics. That was unexpected. “You really think so?” He reset his vocalizer quickly after, not liking the way he sounded, “Thanks, mech. You’re impressive, too.”

Ironhide chuckled, “Yup. Think you even got in a few dents on me the last time we sparred. That’s progress, ain’t it?”

The mini laughed; it was very unlikely he dented Ironhide; but it was a nice gesture from his colleague. “Psh, yeah, I’m not even going to mention how many times you’ve flipped me over my head. We’re good.”

“You bet we are. It’ll be a breeze gettin’ into the Elite Guard. “

“Yeah. Yeah, mech.” He was smiling so hard his jaw joints were aching. He felt happy, pleased with Ironhide’s reaction, and he also felt triumphant. He had decided when he first registered in the camp that he would try to impress at least one other trainee, a mech that would be worthy enough to give a scrap about. And he had met Ironhide. And now, right in this moment, Ironhide had verified that he thought highly about Wasp. Somewhat. Still, it felt great.

Because if he could convince Ironhide that he was better than what was usually expected of him, he could maybe convince everyone else, too.

“Let’s go to the Elite Guard together.”

Wasp blinked, the statement seeming to come out of nowhere. It was Ironhide, of course, but he definitely wasn’t expecting that, “Huh?”

“I remember you sayin’ you want to be a Commander. Fitting, I think. So let’s work on gettin’ there together. I think I’d wanna work with you.”

The mini sat up, leaning over the edge of his berth to look at Ironhide below him. It was dark, but his optics recalibrated and Ironhide was grinning, hands under his head, expression oddly smug. Wasp stared at him for a moment, before returning the smile.

“Yeah, okay. Promise?”

Ironhide shifted then, moving his arm upwards, hand curled into a fist, still smiling widely, “Promise.”

Wasp reached out and bumped fists with Ironhide, snickering. He moved back up onto his berth, lying down, “Alright, we really got to recharge. Sarge’s gonna have our heads if we’re late for roll call.”

“Yep. G’night, mech,” chuckled Ironhide, and there was nothing but silence afterwards. Wasp looked at the dark ceiling a while longer, lulling himself into recharge. Contentment was evident in his field, contained only for himself, and he basked in it.

He felt really good about himself, and that’s really all that mattered.

//

There were times where he’d wake up from a deep recharge with dark ceilings in mind and the light scrape of metal as a lingering feeling on his left fist, but Waspinator would never dwell on those thoughts too long. None of that mattered anymore.


End file.
